About
Rob Quigley is an architect, planner and community activist. His work focuses on the geographic, social and cultural elements that define a place. Quigley sees architecture not as a made object but as platform for human experience to be choreographed and enriched with the culture of context.
Collaborative by nature, his studio has developed unique methods to authentically engage both client and user in the creative process. He is skilled at extracting emotion and meaning from both the community and the place, as well as leveraging both challenging budgets and difficult political situations.
One of the early pioneers of contemporary sustainable design, Quigley considers climate responsibility a gateway to a more sensual and profound architecture. His first solar houses were built in the late 70’s and his West Valley Library was the country’s first LEED certified library.
Somewhat unique among design oriented architects, he has not only served on multiple planning bodies but taken leadership roles advocating for a better urban environment in San Diego. These efforts include stopping both an overhead trolley that would have divided Little Italy from the Bay and an alarming proposal to locate a massive inwardly focused football stadium between East Village and the Bay.
Quigley’s Baltic Inn Single Room Occupancy hotel, and the code alterations he worked out with the city to achieve it, started a national rebirth of this affordable housing type. It earned a Presidential Commendation from Ronald Reagan.
Recognized as a Fellow of the American Institute of Architects, his work has been distinguished by over 80 AIA design awards. In 2005, the AIA California Council honored Rob with the Maybeck Award—California’s equivalent of the Gold Medal—for three decades of architectural design excellence.